I ‘came out’ when I was fifteen, that is what it is called when you let those closest to you know you aren’t what society consider normal. Most places it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but in
Danberry Illinois where there is a church on every other street and you attend Sunday mass no matter what, it was like telling the world you are a two-headed alien.

I was lucky because my best friends didn’t care, one even told me they had known and was just waiting for me to say it. My dad, well he tried. He still loved me and tried to show me he
understood, but he really didn’t know what it meant. My mom, she was my protector and hero. I came out during the summer and the first day of my sophomore years was terrible. The
snide remarks, the things the older boys said. Mickey got suspended for attacking two older boys that were talking about me. He is five-foot-tall and skinny as pencil and he jumps on
these two seniors. I think they would have killed him if a teacher hadn’t restrained him. That is Mickey no matter the odds, if you are his friend he will fight for you.

I get home and I’m in tears. My mom sees, and she tells me she is taking me to school the next day. She marches into the principal’s office and hangs up the call he is on, I follow
behind her, like a piece of drift wood caught in the wake of a ship. ‘My daughter was harassed and bullied yesterday and the only person to defend her was suspended what kind of school are
you running here Jerry?’ I had no idea my mom knew the principal.

‘Marsha calm down and tell me what your daughter told you, so we can sort out the truth.’

‘My daughter told me the truth and if you weren’t such a fucking drunk you would know that.’

He sputtered and got red in the face. ‘There is no need to accuse people of things that are…’

‘Drop the act Jerry, the bottle is in your bottom desk drawer and you have probably already added a little to your morning coffee.’

‘I assure you that I have no bottle in my desk and I’m completely sober.’

‘That would be surprising, but seeing how I called the police and reported I saw you drinking before entering the building we will find out. A simple breathalyzer should prove you
right.’ I thought my principal would have a heart attack when she said that.

‘M M M Marsha I can’t lose my job.’

‘First you are going to lift the suspense on the boy that defended my daughter then you will suspend the two boys he was fighting with. Finally, I want you to make an announcement this
morning that any harassment or bullying will result in suspense.’

‘I can’t suspend those two boys, they are starters on the football team. The school rules state any suspense during …’

‘So, they can tell a fifteen-year-old girl that they will fuck her straight and get away with it?’

‘No of course not, but if I suspend them then I will have their parents in here. Is there a compromise we can come to?’

My mom smiled, I had seen that smile when my dad messed up and she had him right where she wanted him. ‘They will public apologize to my daughter and her friend and if it happens again I
don’t care if they are your star players they get expelled.’

After that it was all over, sort of. Mickey’s parents were called and told it was all a mistake and he could return to school tomorrow. The boys apologized in front of the whole school
at a special assembly. The principal made a big speech about how wrong bullying and harassment was and made it clear the next time the person was to be expelled. My mom made all that
happen and it changed . . . nothing.

The day after the assembly somebody had wrote ‘lesbo’ ‘dyke’ and a bunch of other things on my locker. Nobody was caught for it even thou the principal swore he would catch the person.
I can hear the other students talking about me as I walk down the hall. The other girls wait until I have showered before getting theirs, like I wanted to look or even touch them. I
knew if my mom knew this was going on she would charge in and try to fix things again, but it would only get worse, so I keep it to myself.

Add Your Comments:

Comments

This started off pretty good and just went down in flames. The mother was to over exaggerated in her reaction. I know a parent will defend their child, but I think your portrait of the mother was too much. If you possible expanded it and maybe let it build some the mother's reaction would be more justified, but as it is I think you have over done it.

AuthorReply

Comment | 26 words

Tue, February 13th, 2018 7:39pm

You aren't the first person to tell me I may have over done the mother and her reaction. I may take your advice and redo it.